Clutter isn’t just ugly, turns out it can actually cause you physical stress. Anxiety and depression are very real byproducts of clutter, and women are especially affected by this. An interesting study released in 2010 showed that people with cluttered homes were more bummed out. A lot of junk and unfinished projects laying around made people more depressed and fatigued. Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol were observed than in people who described their homes as “restful” and “restorative.” (1)
Does It Bring You Joy?
In light of this, maybe Marie Kondo is really on to something. Does it bring you joy when you behold it? If not, get rid of it. (2) It might seem kind of silly at first, but it’s a good way to think about it.
Everyone knows that light feeling after you’ve just cleaned. Everyone’s car runs better when it’s freshly detailed, doesn’t it? Then you already understand that “stuff” does have a certain energetic weight to it. So, it’s not totally off the wall to look at an item and ask yourself sincerely if it brings you joy. Do you really want to carry this around through life with you? Look for things that scream “yes”.
De-Clutter That Mudder
We know clutter stresses us out, and that it’s an overall drag. So it’s time to do something about it! Give yourself 30 days to turn this around for yourself. It doesn’t have to be a big, time-consuming task… you can do it in little chunks. Make it an hour or two each day for one month, until you’re all caught up. You might plot it all out, like with this handy calendar, designating each day for one task. Or perhaps you’re more of a free spirit in need of de-cluttering, in which case you could just set aside the time each day, with no requirement on what gets done. At the end of the month, you’ll have spent 30 hours (maybe even more?) getting your whole life in order. Your mind will thank you!
Where should you begin your de-cluttering journey? Pick a spot, any spot, but one of the most satisfying places to organize has got to be that nasty old junk drawer! Chances are really good that you haven’t pulled anything of real value out of that drawer in a good long while; do the rubber bands even have any elastic left? No, they don’t. Unjunk that drawer, give yourself a small win to build on.
De-Clutter For Others
There will be a lot of wins on this journey, so be sure to make some of those wins for others! All the hand-me-downs you’ll be able to bestow upon friends and those in need, will be a blessing for them. You probably have a lot of things that are weighing you down, that others would be happy to carry the weight of. Work clothes hand me downs are always welcomed by job seekers. It costs money to get a good job you know! Anything that has already given you a hand up in life, could perhaps be paid forward to help someone else.
This time is all about feeling good… in your home, your clothes, and in your life. Sharing that good feeling with others might be the best part of this whole process.
